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CHARLIE HAAS TALKS ABOUT RETURNING TO WWE, WHY HE CHOSE NOT TO GO TO TNA, RVD, SHAWN MICHAELS AND MORE

Posted: Jan 30th 2006 By: oklastaff

Recently re-signed WWE superstar, Charlie Haas, was a guest on this past week?s live edition (1/23/05) of Monday Night Mayhem, which can be heard in streaming audio every week (and live from 7-9PM ET every Monday night) exclusively on The Monday Night Mayhem Radio Network (www.MondayNightMayhem.com, www.WrestlingMediaNetwork.com, www.ObsessedWithWrestling.com, & celebrating its 10th Anniversary, www.AudioWrestling.com -- your official home of "The Spring Break Incident" Video-On-Demand, featuring WWE SmackDown Diva & the hottest member of ABC's "Dancing With The Stars," Stacy Keibler).

The interview with Haas is now available to hear for FREE in Real Audio.

Here are highlights from the interview provided by the show?s correspondent, Dan "Ho-Ju" Kriegbaum, of www.MondayNightMayhem.com & Mark Out Radio.

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The Big Mosh & Blade opened the interview by asking the icebreaking question on the hearts & minds of wrestling fans throughout the world -- Why did Haas come back to World Wrestling Entertainment? Charlie said that it was "for the good of his future." He described that TNA only has a limited timeslot to use their entire talent roster right now, and although he was in talks with Jeff Jarrett & Dixie Carter to become a member of their roster sometime down the future, the WWE approached him first. Charlie said that he?s ready to prove all of his critics wrong, and prove himself to the fans as a fantastic wrestler.

The Big Mosh shifted gears on to more WWE news & notes, focusing on the recent (and current) storyline with Shelton Benjamin & his "mama" -- Thea Vidale. Charlie stated that this whole storyline is "all 100% Shelton Benjamin?s creative ideas working, and what he is responsible for." The Big Mosh mentioned rumors about a possible Charlie Haas against Shelton Benjamin match at WrestleMania 22 -- in which Charlie said that he would like to see, but doesn?t know if it will happen this April in Chicago. Charlie also said that everything is still up in the air about whether he?ll be against Shelton, with Shelton, or wrestling everybody else but Shelton. Charlie added that he needs to support himself & his wife (Jackie Gayda) right now, and working the indies traveling everywhere week in & week out wasn?t keeping him as up to par as he would like to be.

Addressing more recent speculation, The Big Mosh then brought up TNA?s newest signee (originally rumored to be a possibility for Charlie's new tag team partner upon his return to the WWE), Jay Lethal, as a talent that Charlie Haas has worked with on his eight months in the independent scene. Charlie put Lethal over as a great talent with a solid future, and that he would love to work with him again. "You never know what could happen?"

Blade then asked what it will be like going back to the 5-15 minute matches in World Wrestling Entertainment, after working 20-30 minute matches on the independent scene (like his 30-minute Iron Man Match against Mike Kruel tonight for Jim Kettner?s ECWA promotion & the 25-minute Triple-Threat Match last summer at the Ballpark Brawl -- in which he won the Natural Heavyweight Championship. The Big Mosh went on to talk about Charlie Haas? trip to England a few weeks ago for 1PW. Charlie said that it was an honor to wrestle in England, and other names like "The King Of Old School" Steve Corino, "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels, & "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles like he did on the independent scene. In order to hear Charlie?s open response to the "die-hard TNA fans" of why he chose not to head there (especially after working several of their finest talents in the UK), you need to listen to this interview. Words do it no justice!

Mosh & Blade then asked about what he sees with his future against the current World Heavyweight Champion, Kurt Angle. Charlie said that he?s training harder than ever and compared his build to that of Angle?s. He said that he is in the best shape of his life right now, and think a match against Kurt Angle would draw well. The Big Mosh also asked who Haas his takes on who he could work best against right now in the WWE. Charlie said to work in World Wrestling Entertainment, "you should be able to have good matches against anybody." Some names that he mentioned that he would like to wrestle against would be "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, the WWE Champion Edge, "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan. & "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson (if he came out of retirement). Haas was extremely impressed with Flair?s performance in his TLC Match against Edge on RAW two weeks ago, and who Edge is continuing to raise his eyebrows every week since becoming the WWE Champion. Haas also said if he was headed to RAW, he would love to work with 1/2 of the World Tag Team Champions, The Big Show, "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters, and "The Game" Triple H.

Mosh mentioned the returning Rob Van Dam & Shawn Michaels as two other superstars in wrestling right now that Charlie Haas could work well against and could also make great technical matches. Charlie put "The Heartbreak Kid" over as one of the best wrestlers all around, including facial features during his match. Charlie also said that RVD has taken his time to get back to his full strength, and he would love to have a long match and feud against him, like they did when he came to SmackDown. Blade asked Haas to give fans advice as to why they should be excited about the WWE. Charlie said that the talent is the best ever, that the roster is continuously growing by the week, that the WWE has "competition" now, and the interest of casual & hardcore fans is peaking more so than in a long time.

The Big Mosh & Blade then asked Haas about the recent new talent that are coming onto television (The Spirit Squad, Lashley, The Boogeyman, etc), and what Charlie thinks will happen with some of the main guys & if they will get lost in the shuffle. Haas believes that that if the WWE thinks the talent should be showcased, then "let them be showcased, and your time will come around." Charlie then put himself over saying that he?s "damn good now, and blew the crowd away in Italy," which is what landed him on his feet to come back to the WWE. Charlie said that "whatever makes people money will be what happens." Mosh inquired a comparison/contrast of Haas to what it?s like now to when he was in World Wrestling Entertainment last year. Haas felt that he couldn?t answer the question at this point in time, simply because he has not been backstage or even at the WWE HQ on a full-time basis yet. The only thing Charlie could state with utmost truth is how the roster & the television (RAW/SmackDown) has altered and changed in several different ways.

Mosh then asked Charlie & his reign as the Ballpark Brawl?s Natural Heavyweight Championship and asks what we might see in his future in regards to possibly defending the title this summer, while being a full-time competitor for World Wrestling Entertainment. Charlie said that although he?s not sure what will happen yet or if the WWE will let him appear at the event(s), and said that if he has to come in & drop the title, that?s business -- and that is what he will do. Will he pull off a Madusa on WCW Nitro? We will have to wait and see...

To close the interview, Mosh & Blade gave Charlie the open mic to get anything off his chest, with this being his last "in-depth" interview/"shoot" public comments before heading into the "Stamford Sunset." Charlie said that he would like to thank his fans for all of their support, and that he is going to give them 120% in return -- in order to prove what he didn?t have a chance to prove before.

Other interview highlights in this potential early candidate for 2006 "Interview Of The Year" include: Charlie?s personal thoughts on working both "The Rabid Wolverine" Chris Benoit & "The Legend Killer" Randy Orton, if he feels that Brock Lesnar will be back in the WWE (or welcomed back for that matter), how he feels that Eddie Guerrero?s memory has been remembered since his passing & the interesting mix of those who attended his wake/funeral services, more of his thoughts and recent news on Eddie Guerrero, and why he will continue to prove his critics wrong once he is fully immersed in the WWE.